MR. McCLELLAN: All right, good morning. Let me run through the
President's day. The President had his usual briefings before he
departed. We are on our way to Toledo. Upon arrival, the Freedom
Corps greeter's name is Bruce Vanisacker, who is -- he is an active
volunteer with a nonprofit that teams professionals with students to
encourage young people to explore opportunities in science, technology
and engineering.

Then the President will go to Owens Community College where he will
participate in a conversation on his high-growth job training
initiative he outlined last night in the State of the Union, and the
economy. The participants in that conversation will include a student,
a former student, members of the faculty that are involved in the
technology training program there at the community college, and then a
representative from a local one-stop career center.

And a little bit more on this -- we're going to have a fact sheet
here for you shortly on the President's plan that he outlined last
night, called Jobs For the 21st Century. This plan includes more than
$500 million in new funding for the initiatives the President
outlined. Those initiatives include the partnerships between community
colleges and employers in high-demand job sectors, which -- that's $250
million for that proposal -- $33 million for the expanded Pell grants
for low-income students who participate and complete the rigorous
advanced course work; and then $100 million to help striving readers,
and $120 million to improve math education in our schools. And we'll
get you more on that soon.

But today's focus will really be on talking about the importance of
having an educated work force to meet the needs of our changing economy
in the 21st century and to make sure that we're -- that the workers are
trained for the skills they need to fill the high-growth jobs that are
in areas such as health care and biotechnology that the President
talked about last night in his remarks.

Following that, we depart Toledo and go to Phoenix, Arizona. The
Freedom Corps greeter there will be Hilary Juel. She's an active
volunteer with Make A Difference, a nonprofit that works to mobilize
volunteers and place individuals in community service -- local
community service organizations. Then we will go to Mesa Community
College, and again the President will participate in a conversation on
job training and the economy. This will include students from the
community college, administrators from the community college, as well
as another area community college, and then a representative from a
technology association in Phoenix. And then we will overnight in
Phoenix, Arizona.

A couple quick announcements: On Ask The White House at 11:00
a.m. is Karen Hughes. And Mrs. Bush, as you saw, traveled with us on
Marine One. She is on her way to Orlando, Florida, where she will be
at a middle school to talk about the striving readers initiative the
President outlined last night, as well.

MR. McCLELLAN: There are a lot of high-growth jobs that are not
being filled because of a need for more workers with a certain set of
skills. And so that's what the President will talk about. There's
some high-growth areas where the job demand is out-pacing the needs --
or out-pacing I guess the supply of skilled workers for those jobs.

Q That seems like not the most pressing problem when you talk
about communities that are worried about not having jobs at all.

MR. McCLELLAN: He's also -- he's going to talk about his State of
the Union, but I would point out what he talked about last night.
Obviously, we are making great progress to build a more prosperous
America. That was one of the key themes he talked about last night in
the State of the Union address. We've had over 250,000 new jobs
created in the last several months. The economy is growing and it's
growing strong. It's moving in the right direction, but there is more
to do.

I expect the President may well also point out the importance of
acting -- to continue to build on the progress we're making by acting
on his six-point plan that he has outlined, starting with making the
tax cuts permanent. Because the policies -- specifically the tax cuts,
in the case of the economy -- the policies that we are implementing are
working. They're leading to a more secure America, more prosperous
America, and a better and more compassionate America.

Q Scott, the $250 million that he talked about, does that go to
community colleges both public and private, or is it just public?

MR. McCLELLAN: We're going to outline this -- we're going to have
this information, the fact sheet for you. I also expect we're going to
have someone at the file, a policy person, do a little bit more
detailed briefing to get into some of those specifics that you're
asking. But this is a new program that we are talking about.

Q The suggestion seemed to be, in the speech last night and in
the fact sheet, that it was public colleges. But I was wondering if it
might be private, as well.

MR. McCLELLAN: I can double-check that, but there's some 1,100 --
more than 1,100 community colleges nationwide that are playing an
important role in helping to make sure that we have an educated work
force for the 21st century. And that's why it's important that we
continue to support the efforts of those community colleges.*

Q On a different subject -- you probably saw the reports this
morning that Pakistan has restricted its scientists from leaving the
country, pending an investigation that's underway. It has also
interviewed a number of the scientists. Can you tell us whether any of
these interviews, any of this action is at America's behest?

MR. McCLELLAN: I haven't received any updates on that beyond what
we've discussed recently in some of the briefings. I can look into it,
but I haven't received any -- I haven't received any specific updates
beyond what I've already said when we've addressed that issue
recently.

Q Could you back, and by the end of the day, let us know
whether it's the position of the United States that the Pakistanis are
acting, at least in part, at the request of the U.S. government?

MR. McCLELLAN: I would say, certainly, that Pakistan is a strong
partner in our global war on terrorism, and we are working closely with
them in the global war on terrorism. Obviously, they're taking some
actions internally that they may feel are necessary, but --

Q The more specific question, though, is, are these specific
actions at U.S. --

MR. McCLELLAN: That's what I said. I'll look more into it. I
haven't received any updates beyond what we discussed recently.**

MR. McCLELLAN: I always try to keep you posted, and I can keep you
posted on his schedule. I'll keep you posted later.

Q Scott, was the President disappointed at all with the
Democratic reaction to his speech? Teddy Kennedy was shaking his head
during the Iraq part. Several Democrats applauded when he said the
Patriot Act is going to expire next year.

MR. McCLELLAN: One, I think you heard the President's remarks. He
was focused on moving forward on the agenda that we are pursuing for
the American people. That's where the President's focus is. We are at
a historic period in our nation's history. And the President is
continuing to forcefully advocate for the policies that we are
implementing, because those policies are the right policies for
America. They are working to make America more secure, to make America
more prosperous and to make America better and more compassionate.

And it's important that we continue moving forward in the direction
we are headed. That's where the President was. He wants to continue
to move forward, not turn back. And that's why -- because of the
actions that we are taking, America is a nation that is strong and
confident, as the President outlined last night. And so his focus is
on what we are doing on behalf of the American people. I think the
Democrats can speak for themselves.

Q -- calling on professional athletes not to use steroids and
set an example for children, that's not something that you normally
sort of think a President uses the State of the Union for. Why did he
think that was an important topic to hit upon last night?

MR. McCLELLAN: It is a problem that needs to be addressed, and
addressed seriously. We're talking about something that sets a
dangerous example for young people. And the President believes
strongly that we all have a responsibility to confront an issue like
performance-enhancing drugs in sports seriously. And it is important
to the -- in terms of setting the right example for young people. It
can have a very dangerous effect on our young people, and that's why
it's an important priority.

Q Is it something he's been interested in a long time, or that
he's been following --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, no, actually it is something that is --
well, one, it is a concern to many Americans. I think parents of
students, particularly students in high school, are concerned about the
influence of performance-enhancing drugs, such as steroids, in sports,
and the terrible consequences it can have on young people.

Q Scott, the President talked about weapons of mass
destruction-related programs. Before the war, I recall he said
something about there were -- Saddam possessed the most lethal weapons
known to man. He spoke of weapons. Do you see a difference between
talking about weapons specifically, or weapons-related programs. Are
we changing the way we're describing the WMDs?

MR. McCLELLAN: Last night, what the President was pointing out is
that the world is safer and better because Saddam Hussein and his
regime have been removed from power. America is more secure because
Saddam Hussein's regime is gone. And the President specifically talked
about -- referred to Dr. Kay's Interim Report, which showed Saddam
Hussein's regime was in material breach of Security Council Resolution
1441. And if you'll recall, that was a resolution passed unanimously
by the Security Council and it called for serious consequences. And
serious consequences followed because Saddam Hussein continued to defy
the international community. Saddam Hussein was a dangerous man and
the world is better off and safer with him removed from power.

Q So you still believe they'll find actual weapons, not just
related programs?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes. Again, where we are now is focused on helping
the Iraqi people realize a free and peaceful and democratic future, and
working with the Governing Council and other Iraqi leaders to transfer
sovereignty as quickly as possible.

Q Is there any reason not to look on last night's speech and
today's travel as the beginning of the reelection campaign?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, look, I think you all are going to -- you all
recognize, like everyone else, that we're in an election year. But
there's a Democratic primary going on right now. The President's focus
is on the big challenges that face this country. He, regardless of
whether or not you're in an election year, he remains the President of
the United States. And this President is committed to continuing to
move forward in the direction that we are pursuing to make this country
more secure and make it more prosperous and make it more
compassionate. And he is going to continue to focus on the big ideas
and big challenges that face this country.

Q We hear repeatedly from the President politics will come in
its own time. Is that time now here?

MR. McCLELLAN: Look, the President is going to remain focused on
the priorities of the American people. That's what he will continue --
there's a Democratic primary going on; we all recognize that. There
will be a time to have that debate later once the -- when the
Democratic nominee has been selected. They're still going through the
primary. But the President remains focused on the people's business
and building upon the progress that we are making.

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, his remarks will focus on the war on
terrorism. As you heard him talk about last night, we are a nation
that is still at war. It's important to continue to remind the
American people that there are dangers that continue to exist, and we
must continue to stay on the offensive and take the fight to the
enemy. And so tomorrow's speech will focus on the progress we are
making in the war on terrorism and the ongoing efforts that we are
taking to make the world a safer place.

Q Why Roswell for that message?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'll try to get you more details about the specific
site tomorrow. I didn't bring who the audience is or anything.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think it was an important reminder that the
war on terrorism, as he has always said, is not something that is going
to be won overnight. It is something that is ongoing. There's many
dangers that we face in this 21st century, and he talked about those
last night, the most serious dangers, terrorists and outlaw regimes,
and the need to confront those dangers before it's too late. And that
was a contrast with some who might say that we can pursue this from
just a law enforcement standpoint. We're pursuing it from a number of
angles; law enforcement is one of them. Cracking down on terrorist
financing is another. First and foremost, we are taking the fight to
the enemy. That is the best way to win the war on terrorism and
prevent an attack from happening in the first place.

Q Thank you.

MR. McCLELLAN: Thanks.

END 9:27 A.M. EST

* All of the more than 1,100 community colleges across our
nation would be eligible under the President's proposal.

** As we have previously said, we are working closely with
Pakistan on a number of fronts in the global war on terrorism.
Pakistan is a strong partner in the war on terror.